Committal for contempt of Court in Open Court in the County Court sitting at Peterborough: Harman

On Monday, 29th February 2016 District Judge Matthews was satisfied that Shane Harman had been guilty of contempt of court by disobeying an order dated 30th June 2015. The Defendant was unrepresented at the hearing in spite of the proceedings having previously been adjourned to enable him to seek legal advice and representation.

The order provided that the Defendant was required to wear headphones when listening to music at or in the locality of his flat and that he was forbidden from playing music that was audible outside of his flat or above a certain level. The Defendant admitted some breaches of these provisions of the order. The Claimant’s witness gave evidence of many more occasions when the order was breached by the Defendant, in addition to those conceded by the Defendant and the District Judge found those additional breaches proved beyond reasonable doubt.

The order of 30th June 2015 also provided that the Defendant was forbidden from using verbal abuse towards those lawfully in the locality of his flat and the Defendant admitted using verbal abuse towards an employee of the Claimant.

The Defendant was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 6 months, suspended for twelve months. The order of 30th June 2015 was extended upon the same terms to have effect until 1st March 2017.